Filter construction



y 7, 1963 w. OHMANN 3,088,305

FILTER CONSTRUCTION Filed March 17, 1960 s Shets-Sheet 1 fur 917. 01" l/t lliavn/ dime-n7 5y QM/1W" 5.

May 7, 1963 w. OHMANN FILTER CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 17. 1960 fnI E'nfur' k/diliam aimann/ May 7, 1963 w. OHMANN FILTER CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 17, 1960 I/III] United States Patent Ofi ice 3,@83,3=95 Patented May 7, 1963 ware Filed Mar. 17, 1960, Ser. No. 15,728 8 Claims. (Cl. 68-17) This invention relates to a combined filter and dispensing apparatus and more particularly to a filter adapted for use as a detergent dispenser and which is particularly suited for application to a vertical axis type laundry machine.

In one previous arrangement a vertical axis type washing machine has a filter which is attached to the top wall of the machine and a filter housing projecting through a vertical wall portion thereof with the opening of the housing being aligned with an opening on the said vertical wall portion. The present invention utilizes the advantages of this construction while providing an opening in the top of the housing body which extends through the machine top so that no bracket means are required, and is large enough so that a brush filter element may be easily inserted or removed therethrough, while being firmly seated against accidental dislodgment in its normal position.

The body has a lower portion forming a well or receptacle located below the top opening, and provided with an inlet to which a recirculating hose may be attached. An outlet is formed in an upper portion of the body, which is received in an opening in 2. depending flange formed integrally with the machine top. Thus the filter is completely out of the way and will not interfere with loading and unloading the washing in a normal, convenient manner. However, all liquid flowing through the body will necessarily pass through the filtering mass provided by the bristles of the brush.

The filter element of the invention also provides a cover for the body or housing, as described, and permits the introduction of detergents or other washing agents and additives into the well or receptacle of the body so that they can become admixed with the laundry fluid before coming into contact with the goods being laundered.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a filter which is located so that it will not interfere with laundry operations, such as loading and unloading the washer, and which affords a removable filter element which is quickly and conveniently cleaned by the operator of the machine with a minimum of effort.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus operable as a filter and which is also effective as a detergent dispenser so that the need for a separate dispenser structure is eliminated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a filter which retains the filter element thereof in a filtering position in an unusually secure manner and which is particularly accessible for temporary removal during cleaning thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a filter which eliminates the need for expensive mounting brackets as well as obviating the alignment problems encountered with such brackets.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds in accordance with the drawings in which:

On the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a laundry machine incorporating a filter according to the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the filter of the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the bottom portion of the filter of the invention;

FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view of the top portion of the filter of the invention;

FIGURE 5 is a front elevational view of the filter of the invention in assembled condition;

FIGURE 6 is a vertical sectional view of the filter of the invention in assembled condition; and

FIGURE 7 is an end view of the bottom portion of the filter of the invention.

As shown on the drawings:

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in FIG- URE 1 a washing machine designated by reference numeral 19, which may provide for automatic washing, rinsing and extracting cycles, and has a cabinet 12 forming an enclosure for a tub which is adapted to confine a pool of liquid such as water or laundry liquid, thereby restricting the pool of laundry liquid within the confines :of a treatment zone. The cabinet is also provided with a suitable closure 14.

A receptacle or container, indicated at 16, is rotatably mounted within the tub, the rotatable container 16 sometimes being referred to as a receptacle or spin basket or clothes basket.

Clothes to be laundered are actually confined within the basket 16 and since the basket 16 is foraminous, it will be understood that any rinse water or laundry liquid confined within the tub provides a pool in which the basket 16 is substantially immersed. An independently operable washing member or agitator 18- is shown as being provided in the basket 16.

It will be understood that the washing machine 10 may be provided with a sequential controller for the automatic operation of the machine through the series of washing, rinsing and extraction cycles. The usual hydraulic circuitry is provided to control the supply and removal of conditioning liquid to and from the treatment zone.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the machine 10 has an inner shroud member 20 which prescribes a circular opening for the top of the basket 16.

Overlying the shroud member 20 and the tub is a cover member 22 forming a part of the cabinet -12. The cover member 22 includes a substantially horizontal wall 24 which has an opening therein of a size the same as the opening prescribed by the shroud member 20, as defined by a substantially vertical, annular wall portion 25 which depends from the horizontal wall 24 of the cover member 22.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, an automatic lint filter and dispensing unit 26 is built in the machine substantially completely out of the Way of laundering operations by positioning the major portion of the structure under the horizontal wall 24 of the cover member 22 and in register with an opening 28 formed in the said vertical wall portion 25. Opening 28 may be either an uninterrupted opening or a notched out portion in the lower portion of wall 25.

Thus, the filter and dispenser construction more particularly includes a housing or casing 30, as shown in FIGURES 2, 5 and 6, having a nipple 32. for connection to the end of a conduit which may introduce fluid into the filter recirculated through a pump having an inlet for drawing fluid from a lower portion of the treatment zone. A wide mouthed spout 34 is provided which extends downwardly at a suitable angle, such as for example 20 from the horizontal, to provide a discharge terminus engageable in alignment with the opening 28 in the annular wall or flange '25 which along with inner shroud member 20 defines an opening for the tub, the spout thus providing a discharge opening for the filter housing so that fluid which has been filtered may flow through said aligned openings into the tub.

The top wall portion 24 also defines an opening 36 therein, which receives an upwardly extending portion of the housing 30, as hereinafter further described, so that the housing is securely anchored without the need for special bracket means or the like. To this end, the housing 30 includes an'upper body portion 38 with which the spout 34 is integrally formed, and a lower body portion 40 with which the nipple 32 is integrally formed. The upper body portion 38 preferably has an outwardly extending peripheral flange 42 defining an underlying marginal groove 44 as shown in FIGURES 4 and 6, in which an upstanding peripheral flange 46 is received in mating engagement and fastened by cement or other suitable material. The upper body portion 38 desirably has an ovoid configuration and is provided with an upwardly extending wall 48 having a downwardly and inwardly sloping bead 50 formed therearound intermediate its upper and lower ends. Thus the bead 50 is adapted to engage in a recess 52 defined in a rubber gasket or the like 54, which is secured on the wall 22 as shown in FIGURE 6.

Also in accordance with the invention, a filter element 56 is provided which includes a cover portion 58 for selectively closing the opening provided by the upstanding wall 48, and an ovoid brush 60 extending downwardly into the filter housing as hereinafter described.

The cover 58 is shaped and configured to provide a handle by which to elfect the removal and insertion of the filter element, and because of the ready access to the :interior of the housing 30 when filter element 56 is removed, the device provides an effective detergent dispenser, as hereinafter further described. Desirably, the handle or cover 58 may include a transparent window or body portion 62 which may be dished somewhat centrally and has a peripheral flange 64 for seating on the up- ,per end of the wall 48 and made of plastic or some other suitable material. The marginal and side portions of the 'cover may be capped by a metal covering or rim 66, with the body portion 62 being recessed around a Window 67 thus defined to receive the rim 66 and provided with marginal indentations or the like so that the downwardly turned outer portion 68 of the metal cap may be crimped into engagement therewith. The body portion 62 is also formed with a depending ovoid boss 70 for telescopic engagement within the wall 48. T o assure a tightly sealed connection between the filter element 56 and the wall 48, a sealing ring 72 surrounds the boss 70 and is secured thereto by means of an inwardly extending flange 74 engaged within a suitable recess 76. In the illustrated form of the invention, the ring 72 is made of a flexible plastic material and has an upwardly and outwardly extending edge 78. Desirably, the upper end of the wall 48 is beveled inwardly so that the flange 78 will be cammed into increasingly snug engagement with the interior of the wall 48 as the filter element 56 is inserted in the said wall. Thus, an effective seal will be maintained between the filter element 56 and the housing 30, but there will be no diflicultyin withdrawing the cover from the housing. The bristles 60 are embedded in the boss 70 so that they extend downwardly to define a closed, substantially ovoid filtering wall. In order to assure that fluid introduced through the nipple portion 32 is filtered through the bristles 60 before passing through the outlet 34, the lower portion of the housing 38 is provided with a generally horizontally extending shelf 80 which extends inwardly a distance such that its marginal portions are in register with the bristles 60. The axial dimension of the "bristles is such that their lower ends are in contiguous, and preferably abutting relationship with the shelf 80, and therefore substantially all of the fluid leaving the filter will necessarily pass through the filtering wall or filtering mass provided by the bristles 60. Desirably, the wall '48 merges gradually with the shelf 80 at an inclined wall portion 81 which may be inclined approximately 30 inwardly from the wall 48 so that the water having been filtered through the bristles 60 will be passed in a continuous even flow to the outlet 34 through a passage 83 defined by the bristles 60 and the wall 48, sloping portion 81 and shelf 80. The connection of the sloping portion 81 with the outlet 34 is also gradual so that there is no interruption of the fluid thus sluiced around the upper portion of the housing.

In order to assure that'the stream of fluid entering through the nipple 32 does not contact the bristles 60 with an undesirable impact force, such as might force impurities therethrough, the filter of the invention provides for fluid to well up from the lower portion of the housing '40 into the upper portion 48, through the opening defined by the shelf 80. To this end, the lower body portion 40 is constructed so as to direct the fluid around the periphery thereof, and thereafter to damp its force and lead it gently into a relatively quiescent pool. Accordingly, the nipple 32 introduces fluid into the housing 30 at the level of the bottom wall 82 and somewhat to One side of the housing. A gradually widening cycling channel 84 is formed in the lower body portion 40 so that the fluid will be swept against the gradually curving portion 85 of the side wall 46 in a continuously widening path such that the velocity of the fluid is reduced gradually. The channel 84 is defined by an inner volute wall 86 extending in gradually increasingly spaced relation to the wall 46, and by means of the top wall afforded by the outer flange 42 of the top portion 38 and the inwardly extending shelf 8t) thereof, as well as by the wall portion 81 and the bottom wall 82. Desirably, as seen in FIGURE 4, a groove 88 is formed in the lower portion of the upper housing thus defined, and the upper edge of the wall 86 is cemented therein in a manner corresponding to the engagement of the wall 46 in the groove 44. The velocity of the fluid entering through the nipple 32 is further reduced by an upwardly sloping configuration of a portion 90 of the wall 82, the slope of'the portion 90 preferably being approximately 12.

, Thus the fluid is introduced into the main body of the lower portion of the housing in a gradually widening are which spreads out over the floor portion 90 so that some of the fluid falls back along the said floor portion toward a relatively deep Well 92 as it moves past the wall 86 and transversely of the housing. In order to damp the fluid which is cycled around the periphery, of lower body portion 40, a damping wall 94 is provided whose :contour is generated by straight lines connecting the outside corners of the wall 46 to a boundary line 96 for the wall portion 90. The boundary line 96 in the example illustrated is oflset substantially 42 from the axis of the inlet conduit 32, or from a line taken along the front 'to rear axis of the housing, and desirably substantially intersects the closed end of the wall 86. Thus the boundary line 96 is disposed substantially perpendicularly to the path of the fluid flowing from the channel 84, and the damping wall 94 will likewise preferably be dis posed with its generating lines at a right angle to the flow path. The surface of the wall 94 may be shaped to extend arcuately upwardly, with a relatively steep initial inclination. Accordingly, the fluid will contact the initial portions of the wall 94 and will either be directed along the boundary line 96 into the well 92, or will pass over the Wall 94 and drop into the well 92 at a wall 98 of the well 92 opposite wall 86 which has a relatively steep- 'ly inclined surface extending from the rear of the housing to the boundary line 96. The wall 98, for example, may have an inclination of 5, from the vertical, so that fluid is introduced without turbulence into the well 92. It will be appreciated that although a major portion of the fluid circulated around the housing will come into contact with the damping wall 94, which may have a width corresponding to the projected width of the channel 84 at that locus, the fluid will have a tendency to fan out,

since it is not restricted by a wall such as the wall 86. Accordingly, a second relatively low damping wall 1% is provided which is bounded by the boundary line 96, the wall 98 and an upper edge 52. The wall lflti may be inclined at an angle while the edge 192 may be disposed at a relatively small angle from the transverse axis of the housing, as for example A surface 104 extends to the rear of the housing from the line m2 with a slight downward incrination so that water which has moved upwardly along the surface 109 will then gradually flow into the well after having been damped by the said wall 100. Thus the surfaces 100 and 104 may properly be considered a part of the floor of the well 92, because of their location below the damping wall 94, but at the same time they effectively reduce the velocity of the fluid passing into the well which has not been damped by the said wall 94.

As may be seen in FIGURE 6, the fluid in the well 92 will continually be replenished from the inlet nipple 32 and will rise upwardly into the interior chamber 1% defined by the bristles 64 The fluid will thus be moved through the bristles so that lint and other materials are removed, and into the surrounding chamber 33 as hereinabove set forth, thereupon flowing into the spout 34- from which it is passed in a relatively wide even flow into the foraminous basket 16, as seen in FlGURE 1.

As indicated above, detergent in any suitable form may be introduced into the housing 3%) upon removal of the filter element 56 by means of its handle 58. The detergent will be guided by the bristles 66 into the well 92, and will be moved upwardly with the flow of fluid therefrom for passage through the chambers 195 and 83 and the spout 34 into the tub.

Thus the detergent will be continuously utilized in an effective manner, and the interior of the housing 39 will be cleansed by the flow of fluid across its surfaces as described. Since access to the upper portion of the housing is readily available, this structure may also be cleansed manually without difficulty, and the beveled surface 81 afiords even greater ease in cleansing so that no deposit of material will remain in the said upper portion to interfere with the effectiveness of the filtering action. The filter itself may be removed and cleaned with no problems of adjustment or alignment, and simply by taking out the filter and putting it under a faucet. The arrangement of the bristles in a closed Wall permits the filter element to be rotated with the wall of bristles perpendicular to a stream of cleaning water or the like, so that no portion of the brush will be neglected.

There has thus been provided a filter which is exceptionally simple in construction, and which is also extremely compact and easy to use. The filter element thereof is securely maintained in position without any tendency to dislodge during operation of the washer, and the relation between the handle portion 53 of the filter and the upstanding wall $8 of the housing 30 also provides a very effective seal which prevents leakage of fluid from the housing. Because of the transparent characteristic of the plastic portion 62 of the filter cover or handle 58, inspection of the condition of the housing may be made at any time without interference with the operation of the filter, and the amount of detergent in the housing may be readily judged, particularly since the well portion 92 of the housing is in register with the window portion 67 of the handle.

Assembly of the filter involves no particular adjustment or alignment of parts, since all that is required is that the wall 48 be moved upwardly until the bead 50 engages within the recess 52 where it is locked in position and maintained against dislodgment until such time as it is desired to remove the same for replacement or otherwise. Because of the protection afforded by the location of the filter underneath the wall 22, however, there is little need for such replacement.

Although I have herein set forth and described my invention with respect to certain specific principles and details thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that these may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the hereunto appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In a washing machine having a cabinet and a tub Within said cabinet adapted to contain a supply of fluid, and

means forming an hydraulic circuit externally of said tub and providing for circulation of said fluid through said circuit,

the combination comprising a flange on said cabinet directed inwardly toward said tub and defining an access opening confronting said tub, said flange having an opening therethrough,

a filter housing in said hydraulic circuit adjacent said flange and having a discharge opening formed therein aligned with said opening in said flange,

said cabinet having a wall over said housing having an opening therein,

said housing having an opening aligned with said opening in said wall and said housing having an inlet below said wall communicating with said circuit,

and filter means removably inserted in said housing between said inlet and said discharge opening for filtering fluid flowing in said circuit through said inlet and out said discharge opening.

2. A combination filter and detergent dispenser comprising,

a filter housing having a continuous shelf intermediate the top and bottom thereof,

said shelf forming a first opening,

an inlet in said housing below said shelf,

an outlet in said housing above said shelf,

and a filtering brush surrounding said opening having lower brush ends contacting the shelf,

said housing having a second opening above said openin formed by said shelf,

said filtering brush being removably positioned in said second opening,

and said housing having a well portion beneath said first and second openings to receive detergent or the like passed through said second opening and said first opening,

whereby the detergent or the like can be dispensed from said well portion by the movement of fluid from said inlet to said outlet through said filtering brush.

3. A filter comprising a housing having a bottom wall with a relatively deep well portion, said housing having a shelf forming an opening above said well and having an upstanding wall surrounding said opening, an outlet in said upstanding wall, a filter element between said opening and said outlet, an inlet below said opening, means forming a channel leading from said inlet for a predetermined distance around the periphery of said housing below said opening for directing fluid around the periphery of said housing before its entry into said well, and a damping wall sloping upwardly from said bottom Wall in predetermined spaced relation from the end of said channel and positioned in the path of flow from said channel to direct fluid into said well whereby the fluid can rise gently from said well through said opening and thence to said outlet.

4. A filter comprising a housing having a bottom wall with a relatively deep well portion, said housing being constricted and forming an opening above said well and having an upstanding wall surrounding said opening, an outlet in said upstanding wall, a filter element between said opening and said outlet, an inlet below said opening, means forming a channel leading from said inlet for a predetermined distance around the periphery of said housing below said opening for directing fluid around the periphery of said housing before its entry into said well, a first damping wall sloping upwardly from said bottom wall in predetermined spaced relation from the end of said channel and positioned in the path of flow from said channel to direct fluid into said well, and a second damping wall having a relatively gradual inclination relative to said first damping wall, said second damping wall being disposed in said well and inwardly from said first damping wall to damp the flow of fluid directed from said channel inwardly from the fluid contacting said first damping wall whereby the fluid can rise gently from said well through said opening and thence to said outlet.

5. A filter comprising a housing having upper and lower portions and a shelf positioned between said upper and lower portions, an opening in said shelf, an endless upstanding wall surrounding said opening in predetermined spaced relation thereto, filter means positioned within the confines of said upstanding wall and surrounding said opening in spaced relation to said upstanding wall, an outlet in said upstanding wall, an inlet in said lower portion, means adjacent said inlet for directing of fluid peripherally around said lower portion, said means including a bottom wall forming a substantially voluteshaped passageway leading from said inlet for a predetermined distance around the periphery of said lower portion, said bottom wall having a relatively deep well portion and first and second dampening walls formed therein, said first dampening wall sloping upwardly from said bottom wall in spaced relation from the end of said passageway, said second dampening wall adjacent said first dampening wall and having a relatively gradual inclination relative to said first dampening wall whereby the fluid may move upwardly from said lower portion through said opening without excessive turbulence and thence to said outlet.

6. A filter comprising a housing having a lower portion with a peripheral wall of substantially ovoid configuration, an upper portion including a shelf defining an opening centrally therein, an upstanding wall surrounding said opening in predetermined spaced relation thereto, a filter mass positioned within the confines of said upstanding wall and surrounding said opening in spaced relation to said upstanding wall and supported on said shelf, an outlet in said upstanding wall, an inlet in said lower portion, a Wall in said lower portion curving gradually inwardly away from said peripheral wall for a predetermined distance from said inlet such as to direct fluid peripherally around said lower portion, said lower portion having a bottom wall sloping gradually upwardly from said inlet and curving upwardly from a line extending substantially from said inlet toward a sideof said peripheral wall opposite said inlet and opposite said inwardly curving wall .to form a well in said lower portion beneath said opening, said upwardly curving wall providing a damping action whereby the fluid may move upwardly from said lower portion through said opening without excessive turbulence and thence to said outlet.

7. A filter comprising a housing having a lower portion with a peripheral wall of substantially ovoid configuration, an upper portion including a shelf defining an opening centrally therein, an upstanding wall surrounding said opening in predetermined spaced relation thereto, a filter mass positioned within said upstanding wall and surrounding said opening in spaced relation to said upstanding wall and in supported relation on said shelf, an outlet in said upstanding wall, an inlet in said lower portion, a wall in said bottom portion curving gradually inwardly away from said peripheral wall for a predetermined distance from said inlet such as to direct fluid peripherally around said bottom portion, said lower portion having a bottom wall sloping gradually upwardly from said inlet and extending upwardly from a line extending substantially from said inlet toward a side of said peripheral Wall opposite said inlet and opposite said inwardly curving wall at a relatively steep inclination at a portion further from said inlet and at a relatively small inclination at a portion adjacent said inlet to form a well in said bottom portion beneath said opening, said upwardly curving wall providing a damping action whereby the fluid may move upwardly from said lower portion through said opening without excessive turbulence and thence to said outlet.

8. In a washing machine having a cabinet and a tub within said cabinet adapted to collect a supply of fluid, means forming a hydraulic circuit externally of said tub and providing for circulation of said fluid through said circuit, the combination comprising a flange on said cabinet directed inwardly toward said tub and defining an access opening confronting said tub, said flange having an opening formed therein, a filter housing mounted in said hydraulic circuit adjacent said flange and having a discharge opening disposed in said opening in said flange, said cabinet having a wall over said filter housing and having an opening therein, said filter housing having an upper portion having an opening therein and disposed in said opening in said wall, said filter housing having said discharge opening in said upper portion and having a lower portion with an inlet opening therein and an opening between said upper and lower portions, and a filtering Wall in said upper portion of said housing and surrounding said opening between said upper portion and said lower portion to filter fluidpassing from said inlet to said outlet. 11

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 153,940 Garland Aug. 11, 1874 497,312 Ditton May 16, 1893 1,516,871 Stout Nov. 25, 1924 1,634,463 Hills July 5, 1927 1,640,198 Lobit Aug. 23, 1927 1,777,311 Horning Oct. 7, 1930 2,068,048 Adams Jan. 19, 1937 2,087,775 Matthews July 20, 1937 2,521,107 Wiley Sept. 5, 1950 2,621,505 Smith Dec. 16, 1952 2,936,604 Glendening May 17, 1960 2,943,474 Bochan July 5, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 121,864 Great Britain Jan. 9, 1919 

3. A FILTER COMPRISING A HOUSING HAVING A BOTTOM WALL WITH A RELATIVELY DEEP WEELL PORTION, SAID HOUSING HAVING A SHELF FORMING AN OPENING ABOVE SAID WELL AND HAVING AN UPSTANDING WALL SURROUNDING SAID OPENINGM AN OUTLET IN SAID UPSTANDING WALL, A FILTER ELEMENT BETWEEN SAID OPENING AND SAID OUTLET, AN INLET BELOW SAID OPENING, MEANS FORMING A CHANNEL LEADING FROM SAID INLET FOR A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF SAID HOUSING BELOW SAID OPENING FOR DIRECTING FLUID AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF SAID HOUSING BEFORE ITS ENTRY INTO SAID WALL A DAMPING WALL SLOPING UPWARDLY FROM SAID BOTTOM WALL IN PREDETERMINED SPACED RELATION FROM THE END OF SAID CHANNEL AND POSITIONED IN THE PATH OF FLOW FROM SAID CHANNEL TO DIRECT FLUID INTO SAID WELL WHEREBY THE FLUID CAN RISE GENTLY FROM SAID WELL THROUGH SAID OPENING AND THENCE TO SAID OUTLET. 